Soap-feeding machine.



PATENTED IVIAY 22, 1906.

R. H. LITTLE.

SOAP FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE8 w W Z Z w UNITE errant onrren ROBEBI' n. LITTLE, or onrcaeo, irlmnois, ASSIGNOR TO HUFFHEEMEE.

SOAP 10., OF CHiCAGO,I ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINQIS.

SOAP-FEEDING .MAGHDNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented may 22, 1906.

Application filed June 8, 1905. Serial No. 263.518.

. and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for supplyin measured or limited quantities of soap, an is of particular utility in public and other places Where it is desired to maintain the soap'in a perfectly sanitary condition, though the invention is also serviceable in effecting an economical use of soap. I

Hitherto soap has been supplied by machines either in powdered form, or it has been grated or sliced from solid bars. A decided objection to these classes of apparatus for supplying soap resides in the fact that moisture is likely to interfere with the roper operation of the machine, so that t e owder will solidify in masses and the knives or graters will become gumm'ed to deprive them of their function.

l have constructed a machine that renders the presence of moisture unharmful, the machine being adapted to feed the soap when soft, the soap eing preferabl employed when in this soft condition. employ a chamber for the soft soap and a piston or lunger within the chamber, which serves to force the soap through the opening in the chamber, whereafter a cutter removes the soap forced from the chamber, so that this portion may be used. In order that the soft soap paratively large diameter.

will not be forced by gravity from the chamber, the mouth of the chamber through which the soap issues is of considerably smaller area than a cross-section of the main portion of the chamber, and in order that the pieces of soap may be of sufficient size and in order that the containing-chamber may not be of undue height the chamber is made of com- The chamber is preferably in the form of a cylinder that is conically shaped at its lower end to form the discharge-mouth. The lunger is in the form .of a piston that wor s within. the cylindrical portion of the chamber. The stem of the piston is preferably a threaded shaft in engagement with a nut held from longitudicap nal movement by two brackets, so that as the shaft is rotated it is moved longitudinally to bring the piston against the soap to force it through the discharge-opening. An oscillating handle is employed that engages this nut when the handle is moved in one direction to force the iston downward and which escapes the nut w en the handle is restored to its ini tial position to prevent elevation of the piston. The pitch of the threads upon the iston-shaft is chosen to secure the proper eeol of the soap upon each movement of thehandlei In order that the cuttin device may be operated by the same hand% mechanism has a tripping device associated with the handle, whereby when the handle is moved to feed the soap the cutting device is not 0 erated and when the handle is restore the cutting device is operated to re move the protruding soap. l v

I will explain my invention more fully by reference .to the accompanying drawings, in

. Figure 1 is a front elevation, with one of the parts slightly broken away, of the-preferred form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side e, the cutting elevation, certain parts being shown in sec- 1s a side view of the tripping device and. associate parts.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

A casting or support a is mounted upon any suitable carrying-plate b and desirably includes as an integral part or extension thereof the hollow cone 0, taperingteward the bottom and which constitutes a seat for the main cylindrical portion of a soap-containing chamber 66, that IS covered by a displaceable e;- The cylinder (1 containsa piston f, that desirably snugly fits the cylinder and which is carried on a threaded shaft 9 thatis held in place by a nut h in threaded engagemen't therewith, which nut lies between the bifurcated portions 2', carried by the handle 7c. These bifurcated. portions of the handle are interposed between the brackets 70, that project forwardly fir -c111 the back or support a,

designed to discharge enough soap upon the quarter-turn of the nut, said notches having interlocking engagement with the pawl when the handle 1s moved forward, the said notches esca ing engagement with the pawl when the hen leis restored to its initial position, which is that indicated. To limit the handle to a quarter-turn, it is provided With a, pin 70", that travels within a corresponding notch in .one

'of the brackets 7c.

' cutter is mouth 0 The fiarmg or conical end '0 of the chamber prevents the soap from issuing from the chamber by force of gravity, such feeding-only occurring upon the downward movement of the piston, which in the construction illustrated has no rotary movement, but is confined purely to a straightline travel. 4

.In' order that the cutting operation may have proper sequence with res ect' to the feeding operation and in order t at the one handle may effect both the feeding and cutting operations, ,I prefer the construction illustrated, wherein the cutter p is mounted at the ends of a U-sha ed support q, located below the chamber an carried by the shaft 1", extending parallel with the chamber and terminating above the same, this shaft being journaled at s 8 upon the bracket 0. The spring tnormally removes the cutter p, which preferably of wire, from beneath the the cone 0, the plate it, fast upon the shaft r,'limiting the extent of the rearward movement of the putter by the engagement of its extension u with the back a. The forward movement of the cutter is accomlished by rotating the shaft 7' against the orce of the spring t, which rotation is efiected by the engagement effected by the elongation 01 of the handle t with the projecting end of the plate 12, which is loose upon the shaft 1', but which actuates the same by engaging the pin w, fixed upon the plate a. The spring in, as indicated most clearly in. Fig. 6, is connected at one end with a shaft 1- and at the other end with the pin '0 u on the plate v, whereby said-plate is norma ly engaged with the in w. As hitherto stated, when the handle is moved forward the piston or plunger is depressed. In this movement the nose 4) engages the plate 12 and removes the same from engagement with the piri w against the force of the spring as, so that the shaft 1" is not at this time rotated. When the handle is re turned to the position shown, the plunger Z rides out of the engaging slot in the nut h, so

as not to feed the soap; but the nose i engages the free end of the plate '1; and forces the same against the pin w, thereby'effecting the rotation of the shaft 1' to cause the cutter p to slice off the protruding soap. After the handle has been about restored the plate 1) escapes the nose 2', whereupon the spring t restores the cutter to its initlal position.

I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodlment of myinvention; but I do not wish to be limited tothe precise construction shown, as modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit of my invention; but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

. 1. A device'of the class'described, including a chamber forcontaining soap or other material and having an outlet, a piston therein, a threaded stem for the piston, a nut having threaded-engagement with said stem and provided with a stationary mounting, and an operating-handle rovidedwith a pawl adapted to engage said nut and rotate the same when the handle is moved in one direction, the pawl esca ing the said nut when the handle' 1s reverse in its movement.

2. A device of the class described, including a chamber for containing soap or other material and having an outlet, a piston the're in, a threaded stem for the piston, a nuthaving threaded engagement with said stem' and provided'with a stationary mounting, an op-. erating-handle provided with a pawl adapted to engage said nut and rotate the same when the handle is moved in one direction, the

awl escaping the said nut when the handle 1s reversed in its movement, and cutting mechanism operated b said handle.

3. A device of the c ass described, includ ing a chamber for containing soap or other material and having an outlet, a piston therein, a threaded stem for the piston, a nut having threaded engagement with said stem and provided with a stationary mounting, an operating-handle provided with a pawl adapted to engage said nut and rotate the same when the handle is-moved in one direction, the pawl escaping the said nut when the handle is reversed in its movement, cutting inechan ism and an escapement device'interpose'd between the handle and cutting mechanism whereby the cutter will not be operated While the handle is movingto effecta feed of the soa 4 A device of the class described, includm a chamber for containing the soap or other material and having an outlet, a ceding device including a threaded stem, a nut having threaded engagement with said stem, an operating-handle provided with a pawl adapted to engage said nut and rotate the same when the handle is moved in one direc' handle is reverse in its movemnt,*'and a cutting device operated by said handle.

sensor 5. A device of the class described, including a chamber for containing soa or other material and having an outlet, fee iIig mechanism for feeding the material from the chamber, cutting mechanism for cutting the fed material, an oscillating handle operating both the feeding and cutting mechanisms, and an escapement device interposed between the cutting mechanism and the oscillating handle, whereby the butting mechanism will not operate when the handle is moving in one direction to effect a feed of the soap, but which effects driving connection between the handle and cutting mechanism when the handle is operated in the reverse direction. I In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 31st day of May, A. D. 1905.

Bonner 11.. LITTLE.

Witnesses: V

G. L. CRAGG, Brennan KEARNEY. 

